Business Objects and Sage Software Expand Relationship With New OEM Agreement; Sage Software to Embed and Resell Crystal Reports as Part of Its Business Management Solutions for Small to Medium-Sized Organizations

Business Wire, Feb 8, 2006

SAN JOSE, Calif. & PARIS & IRVINE, Calif. -- Business Objects (Nasdaq:BOBJ) (Euronext Paris ISIN code: FR0004026250 - BOB) and Sage Software (formerly Best Software) today announced they have signed an agreement that extends and expands their relationship. This new agreement enables Sage Software to embed and resell Crystal Reports(R) as part of its leading business management solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. In addition, Sage Software has the option to resell Crystal Reports Server XI as an add-on solution. Crystal Reports Server XI is a packaged reporting solution that includes everything small and medium-sized organizations need to create, deliver, and manage reports over the web.

Sage Software and Business Objects have been OEM partners for nearly 10 years. The new multi-year agreement covers the latest Crystal Reports software and market leading brands from Sage Software including Sage MAS 90 ERP, Sage MAS 200 ERP, Sage MAS 500 ERP, Sage Accpac ERP, Sage PFW ERP, Sage CRM SalesLogix, Sage Timberline Office, Sage Abra HRMS, Sage FAS Fixed Assets, Peachtree by Sage, and Simply Accounting by Sage.

"Business Objects is the gold standard for reporting solutions in the mid-market, and the expanded integration of our industry-leading reporting software with the business management solutions from Sage Software will enable small and medium-sized organizations to more easily optimize their business performance," said Wyatt Mullin, vice president of worldwide OEM sales at Business Objects. "More companies OEM Crystal Reports than any other business intelligence solution, and this expanded relationship with Sage Software will help extend our reach in the small and medium-sized business market even further."

Sage Software delivers easy-to-use, scalable, and customizable software for accounting, customer relationship management, human resources, time tracking and other business management needs. In addition, Sage Software provides solutions to meet the specialized needs of accounting practices, construction, distribution, manufacturing, nonprofit, and real estate industries. Crystal Reports is well suited for the reporting needs of small and medium-sized organizations, enabling them to harness the information captured in a variety of business systems to improve decision making.

"Our agreement with Business Objects gives us more opportunities to help customers improve their business by using the industry's leading reporting software," said Ron Verni, president and CEO of Sage Software. "By bundling Crystal Reports within our solutions, small and medium-sized businesses gain advanced reporting and analysis functionality that is easy to use and improves their decision making abilities."

About Sage Software

Sage Software offers leading business management software and services that support the needs, challenges and dreams of more than 2.5 million small and mid-sized business customers in North America. Its parent company, The Sage Group plc (London:SGE.L), supports 4.7 million customers worldwide. For more than 25 years, Sage Software has delivered easy-to-use, scalable and customizable software for accounting, customer relationship management, human resources, time tracking and the specialized needs of accounting practices and the construction, distribution, manufacturing, nonprofit and real estate industries. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.sagesoftware.com/moreinfo or call (866) 308-2378.

About Business Objects

Business Objects is the world's leading business intelligence (BI) software company. With more than 35,000 customers worldwide, including over 80 percent of the Fortune 500, Business Objects helps organizations gain better insight into their business, improve decision making, and optimize enterprise performance. The company's business intelligence platform, BusinessObjects(TM) XI, offers the BI industry's most advanced and complete platform for performance management, planning, reporting, query and analysis, and data integration. BusinessObjects XI includes Crystal Reports(R), the industry standard for enterprise reporting. Business Objects has built the industry's strongest and most diverse partner community, and also offers consulting and education services to help customers effectively deploy their business intelligence projects.

Business Objects has dual headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and Paris, France. The company's stock is traded on both the Nasdaq (BOBJ) and Euronext Paris (ISIN: FR0004026250 - BOB) stock exchanges. More information about Business Objects can be found at www.businessobjects.com.

The Business Objects logo, BusinessObjects, Crystal Reports, Intelligent Question, and Xcelsius are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects in the United States and/or other countries. All other names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.